Notes on this chart:Some titles have been truncated or abbreviated for space reasons. Publisher abbreviations have also been used:

MAR = Marvel Comics

DC = DC Comics

DAR = Dark Horse Comics

IMA = Image Comics

ABS = Abstract Studio

ADV = A.D. Vision

ALI = Alias Enterprises, LLC

ANT = Antarctic Press

ARC = Archie Comic Publications

ASP = Apen MLT Inc.

AVA = Avatar Press

BON = Bongo Comics

CAR = Cartoon Books

DE = Dynamite Entertainment

DDP = Devil's Due Publishing

FAN = Fantagraphics Books

GEM = Gemstone Publishing

IDW = IDW Publishing

MIR = Mirage StudiosNBM = NBM / Papercutz

ONI = Oni Press Inc.

SEV = Seven Seas Entertainment, LLC

SLG = Slave Labor Graphics

TIT = Titan Publishing

TKP = Tokyopop

VIZ = Viz Media

ZEN = Zenescope Entertainment, Inc.

We are estimating actual sales by Diamond U.S. (primarily to North American comic stores), using Diamond's published sales indexes and publisher sales data to estimate a sales number for Batman(the titleDiamond uses in its calculations), and using that number and the indexes to estimate Diamond's sales on the remaining titles.We can check the accuracy of our numbers by comparing the Batman number that we calculate using multiple data points; our numbers for Batman are within 1/10 of 1% of each other, ensuring a high degree of accuracy.They do not include sales made by Diamond UK, orders on these titles placed after the end of August, or copies purchased by Diamond but held in inventory at the end of August.This information may not be reproduced in any format without also crediting Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc.

Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Image, IDW, Dynamite, Devil's Due, Avatar, Aspen Studios and Gemstone distribute 100% of their comic store orders through Diamond.Some other publishers distribute directly to stores or through other distributors and as a result this analysis may underestimate their sales.

Most graphic novel publishers also release their titles through other channels, which make up a majority of graphic novel sales over-all.These quantity estimates do not reflect distribution through those channels."

Most of the titles on this chart are also distributed to Europe by Diamond UK, which can account for significant sales for the publisher, ranging from 3-20% of the U.S. numbers.Sales by Diamond UK are not included in the numbers above.

One other factor to consider is that sales through Diamond and other comic distributors are non-returnable to retailers.That means that there is a considerable unknown percentage of books unsold at the retailer level, probably amounting to 5-20% of sales.

For links to all previous Top 300 Comic and Top 100 Graphic Novel articles (going back over three years, including preorder analysis through March 2003 and actual order analysis beginning March 2003) see: "ICv2's Top 300 Comics and Top 100 GNs Index."